Every year on February 14th, people celebrate Valentine's Day. People express their love for one another on this important day. Heart shapes, chocolate, and the colours pink and red are commonly linked to Valentine's Day.

In honor of St. Valentine, Valentine's Day was coined. However, who is this enigmatic saint?

February has always been associated with love, and the modern version of Valentine's Day incorporates elements of both Christian and ancient Roman customs. However, how did St. Valentine come to be connected to this particular day?

The identity of St. Valentine is the subject of several tales. Valentine was a priest in Rome in the third century, so goes one legend. The emperor, Claudius II, forbade young men from getting married because he believed that single men were more prepared for battle. Valentine was later beheaded for carrying out his covert marriage ceremonies, nevertheless. Another legend has it that the first "valentine" was delivered by an imprisoned Valentine who fell in love with a girl who visited him while he was confined.

Why is February 14th designated as Valentine's Day?

Some people think that February is the month when Valentine's Day is observed to commemorate the purported anniversary of Valentine's death; others speculate that the Christian church may have chosen to celebrate St. Valentine's Day in the middle of the month to "Christianize" the pagan Lupercalia celebration. Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated on February 15, honored the Roman founders Romulus and Remus in addition to Faunus, the god of agriculture.

Cupid is another Valentine's Day emblem, but where are the roots of that?

Valentine's Day cards frequently feature a nude cherub named Cupid shooting love arrows to gullible couples. However, the Greek deity of love, Eros, is the ancestor of the Roman god Cupid. There are differing stories about his birth: some claim he is the son of Nyx and Erebus, others of Aphrodite and Ares, and yet others that he is the son of Zeus and Aphrodite (who would have been his grandpa and father).

It's a beautiful celebration, Valentine's Day, and I hope you enjoyed it.

Written by Jenna Potter, and proof-read/ edited by Eleanor Raven